JOIN USAlignment finalised, Monorail comes close to reality
The State government has finalised the alignment for the City’s first monorail corridor.
The corridor between Jaraganahalli along Kanakapura Road and Cantonment, which is part of the first phase of the Monorail project, will soon be implemented with the authorities undertaking soil testing along the project route.
Sources in the Infrastructure Development department told Deccan Herald that the corridor, which extends up to around 19 km, would connect JP Nagar, Koramangala, Ejipura, Domlur and Indiranagar. A source said soil testing was already in progress in Jaraganahalli and JP Nagar, which fall in the corridor line.
An official from the Infrastructure Development department said the idea behind taking up the above corridor was to provide better connectivity between South and East Bangalore through the Monorail. The corridor would also act as feeder to the Metro rail network at both the ends.
A senior official with the Infrastructure Development department, on condition of anonymity, said the route alignment had been approved by the State government tentatively. Once the soil testing is done, technical and physical feasibility studies would be undertaken, before calling for design tenders for the project.
It can be noted here that the alignment of the Monorail corridors was a matter of debate in the government with experts and private stakeholders expressing concern over the proposed alignment.
When the Monorail project was announced by the then chief minister, B S Yeddyurappa, it was said the 16-km long line connecting Majestic to Agara Lake would be constructed first.
Then there was talk of taking up Hudson Circle to ITPL and Hudson Circle to Electronics City (together about 40 km) corridor.
In June 2011, to ease traffic congestion in core areas of the City, the State government approved the detailed project report for the 60-km monorail network.
The detailed project report was prepared by Scomi Geodesic Consortium, which later tied up with ITNL Enso Rail System Ltd (IERS), a subsidiary of IL&FS Transportation Network Limited (ITNL), as its financial partner for the project.
The project would be implemented on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis under the Swiss Challenge Procurement process. A special purpose vehicle has also been launched for this purpose.
Other proposed corridors
* Hebbal to JP Nagar - 34 km
* Peripheral Ring Road to toll gate along Magadi Road -
9 km
*Kathriguppe Road to National College - 5 km
* Hosur Road to Bannerghatta - 15 km